Cincinnati Reds News Roundup — September 18, 2026

The Cincinnati Reds retained General Manager Nick Krall following another disappointing season, a decision that intensified criticism given the franchise's 13-year stretch without exceeding 83 wins or finishing better than third in the NL Central. The organization made several roster moves ahead of Friday's series opener against the Cubs, claiming infielder-outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera off waivers from the Yankees and recalling pitcher Julian Aguiar from Triple-A Louisville. To create space, the Reds moved Spencer Steer to the 60-day injured list and placed reliever Julian Garcia on the 15-day injured list with loose bodies in his elbow, effectively ending Garcia's rookie season.

Multiple outlets reported the Cabrera acquisition and Aguiar recall identically, though they differed on Cabrera's recent performance. MLB Trade Rumors and Redleg Nation cited his .288 average with a 105 wRC+ in 122 games for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate this season, while Red Reporter and Redleg Nation noted his career .232 average across 304 major league games. Aguiar is returning from Tommy John surgery after making his MLB debut in 2024.

On the pitching front, Chase Burns starts Friday against the Cubs with the Reds' bullpen depleted from their series loss to the Dodgers. Manager Terry Francona indicated the team is still determining how to structure relief after Brandon Williamson pitched two innings Thursday. Meanwhile, Brady Singer's recent collapse—posting an 8.48 ERA over his last eight games after allowing seven runs in just 3⅓ innings against Los Angeles—has opened the door for Carson Spiers, a pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery who has struck out 21 batters over his last three Triple-A starts while allowing just two runs across 16 innings.

The Reds are also targeting Cubs free agent Ian Happ as their primary offseason acquisition to address outfield needs, according to coverage from Locked On Reds. The podcast discussed how Happ's power and defensive abilities could stabilize right field while examining the financial implications of such a move ahead of the team's final home series.